Naz Posted May 16, 2010 Share Posted May 16, 2010 Hi everyone ! Just wondering what some of you are using to make brooms in your fireplace sets. I've heard of broom corn but i imagine there must be a technique to tying it to the handle. Are there any other options ? Thanks ! Naz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted May 16, 2010 Share Posted May 16, 2010 You can buy the big wide "white-wash" brush and attach to the handle, if done right they look pretty good. Jeff Mohr (not sure of spelling of his last name) has a video/CD on making brooms and fireplace tools. IIRC, Jeff also teaches at John C. Campbells Folk School in N.C. I have mine made by a gentleman from Oklahoma and his brooms are absolutely amazing. The last ones I had him tie for me he charged $25.00 each. I wished I had taken a dozen different handles. He also supports a ministry with his brooms. Also check out UMBA's library. You can order video/CD's from them that have broom tying segments in them...cheap too==$5.00ea + 2.oo for shipping. If you order 20 CDs the shipping is still $2.00. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mills Posted May 16, 2010 Share Posted May 16, 2010 Thomas Who is this man? I may have need later in the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Browne Posted May 16, 2010 Share Posted May 16, 2010 I have used Warren Olney in Grant's Pass, Oregon for custom brooms on my handles. He has been courteous, fast and will customize to meet your needs. My clients have all loved his brooms. As I recall, he charges about $50 to weave a broom on your handle. You will have to create a small flat with a hole in it on the end of your handle for him to attach to. He has instructions and info on his website at: http://www.broomshop.com/ DB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecelticforge Posted May 16, 2010 Share Posted May 16, 2010 I use the broom heads from Kayne and Sons. I do grow my own broom corn and make various styles of brooms. However, the natural fibers just don't like sweeping hot coals at all. The dern things burn a bit. However, if you wish to make your own and I do recommend doing it (just not for fire place sets) I think this is a great link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oegaZKqdZsQ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted May 16, 2010 Share Posted May 16, 2010 I recommend raking/shoveling a hot hearth and sweeping only a cold one. Pointless to ruin good brooms when more appropriate tools exist, or can be made easily. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted May 16, 2010 Share Posted May 16, 2010 This was a short bristle length deck scrubber from a local DIY store in the UK, it had a plastic mounting for a broom handle to fit, and was the only one we had at hand at that time, so we came up with this method of attaching it which hid the unused screwholes. (These pics have been posted in Blacksmiths Guild UK section, but are relevant here if you have missed them) An alternative method is to use an exterior wall painting brush, remove the handle, make a shroud to cover the brush head body and attach it through the shroud with screws. You can also use an ordinary wooden backed hearth brush as above, these give a better sweeping action, but can look ungainly as the lay along the handle as opposed to fittng across the end of the handle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecelticforge Posted May 16, 2010 Share Posted May 16, 2010 I recommend raking/shoveling a hot hearth and sweeping only a cold one. Pointless to ruin good brooms when more appropriate tools exist, or can be made easily. I also recommend that. However, my customers have trouble with that concept. After the 4th broom was brought back for repair, I went with the synthetic. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted May 16, 2010 Share Posted May 16, 2010 Good point. The fire tool set that came with my house has a broom that is half melted, but I so rarely ever use a broom I forgot. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecelticforge Posted May 16, 2010 Share Posted May 16, 2010 I use a corn broom in my forge. I dip it in water before I sweep the hearth with it but it still needs replacing every 3 or 4 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dablacksmith Posted May 16, 2010 Share Posted May 16, 2010 ive used various broom makers over the years .. check in your local area as prices vary ... ive paid as little as 7.00 a broom . most ive paid is 15.00 also ask if theyre willing to trade handle for broom .. ive done that deal a nomber of times. theyre is a bit of a trick to it tho it is learnable . i just never sold enuf of um to bother. ive also bought cheap hearth brooms on wooden handles cut the handle off at the broomcorn top (it leaves 2-4 inches of wood handle inside) drill it and epoxyied the handle in .cheap and easy and pretty universal (ie works with all handles). good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 16, 2010 Share Posted May 16, 2010 If you disolve borax in water to dip your broom in it'll go a long way towards keeping it from burning. Borax is an effective flame retardent, it doesn't make things fireproof but it makes flamables harder to light. Frosty the Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naz Posted May 17, 2010 Author Share Posted May 17, 2010 Hi everyone ! Just wondering what some of you are using to make brooms in your fireplace sets. I've heard of broom corn but i imagine there must be a technique to tying it to the handle. Are there any other options ? Thanks ! Naz. Thanks for all your replies. I do prefer the handmade ones but after a quick google search, I didn't find any broom makers in my region (Montreal, Canada). All other ideas are good options too. Thanks again ! Naz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 Thomas Who is this man? I may have need later in the year. Larry, I'll have to find his card and get back to ya. He used to set up at Canton 1st Monday Trade Days in Canton, TX but I heard that his wife is dying of cancer and they have not been there in a while. Don't know if he is doing anything at home other than caring for his dear wife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad Creek Blacksmith Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 Google how to make a broom and their is a site motherearthnews.com that takes it step-by-step on making a broom. I thought it was pretty easy to follow the instructions. Haven't tried tyeing one yet but some day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksb Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 The last em add. I had for Jeff Mohr is: mockingbirdforge@peoplepc.com KSB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mills Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 Thanks TD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 One other consideration. Tom Joyce told me that he had used one of the "knots" of a roofing tar brush. A knot is one of the three or four circular clumps of fibre, usually tampico, found on the wooden brush head. Each knot looks like an oversized shaving brush and is banded at the top with sheet steel, at least on the one that I own, branded "4K Mohawk": 18 ga x 3/4" bent to a 1 1/2" diameter. A knot is removable by pin punching the small wire nails which hold it to the wooden head. Then you must figure out a way to fab a sheet steel attachment for both the brush and the handle shank. I think that oxy-acetylene welding with a sanding cleanup and painting is the route to go. If you made a ferrule to snug-fit the existing ferrule, you could use slender, annealed, cross-rivets transverse of the shank length. The holes would go through the sheet, but also through the hidden, wooden form inside. I guess if the broom user wants to burn the brush on hot coals, that is their problem. At least, tampico is better than a curled up, melted nylon brush. http://www.turleyforge.com Granddaddy of Blacksmith Schools Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill in Oregon Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 Celtic: Thanks for the link to the broom-making YouTube clip. Just excellent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naz Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 Well, here I am ready to try making a broom. Only one last detail, where can I buy broom corn ??? Sounds easy to find but I made a google search and had no luck. Any suggestion, links would be appreciated. Thanks !! Naz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason @ MacTalis Ironworks Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Scheumack Broom Company of Eugene Oregon does very high quality broom binding. Website is http://www.broommagic.com/ I worked for him at a couple of Rennaisance faires 15 years or so ago, and got to know his product. VERY high quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naz Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 Thanks, but I'm actually looking for the broom corn itself to make the broom myself. I agree on the quality of their brooms, but they don't seem to sell the corn alone. Thanks Naz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken leedy Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Don't use the hatchet as Jeff Mohr suggests. Use pruning snips instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 This outfit sells broomcorn by the box or bale. They also have a wide range of broom making supplies and... BROOMS! It is easy to grow your own too... seeds are available from many suppliers. The standard broom corn is a variety of sorghum but some millet varieties are also used for more artsy decorative brooms. You can grow small amounts easily... from a few plants on up to fields of it. Most broom makers that I have encountered at fairs do grow their own corn. Some of the millet in the seed I feed to my guineas has volunteered and looked usable... though I fed it to the chickens. R. E. Caddy and Company Inc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naz Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 Thanks for the tips guys, I sent a message to R. E. Caddy and Company Inc. asking about their fees on shippind and handling. I often have surprises when orders have to cross the border (I'm in Montreal, Canada). Just glad to have found a place that do sell in bulk. As to growing my own, i'll have to check up on that, not everything grows up here with the long cold winter. Naz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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